Snapshot Series: First Meeting
by firelitdreams
Summary: Adam's family decides to spend the summer at a campground and Adam expects to be friendless and miserable.


_Other: Vacation_

Adam packed the last of what he needed for the summer in his suitcase and latched it closed. He couldn't believe his parents were dragging them out to the middle of nowhere for the entire summer. His father had decided they were all becoming too spoiled and needed to 'get back to what was important' so he had booked this cabin for the entire summer. No television, internet, or cell phones. Adam would be spending his summer, the first summer where he wasn't the ugly fat kid, isolated in some small town with his family. It was also the summer between his junior and senior years, so likely the last summer he would've had to spend with his friends before they all scattered to follow their dreams, but now he wouldn't even be able to talk to them on the phone. Well, they'd have a landline, his father had assured him, but calling long distance was expensive so calls were going to be limited.

"Adam! Neil!" His mother shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "We're leaving in ten minutes."

"Be right there!" Both boys answered in unison. Adam noted that Neil didn't sound any happier about leaving than he did.

"Excuse me," Adam said as he approached the desk. "I need to check-in or pick up keys or whatever."

Adam stared at the guy behind the desk, he was pretty. That was so not something Adam should be thinking about right now. If he worked in this place he was probably local and wouldn't take well to the big gay theatre geek calling him pretty.

"Hi," the guy closed his magazine and looked up at Adam, a small smile flashing across his face. "No problem, what's your last name?"

"Oh, umm, Lambert," Adam answered startled out of his thoughts when the guy spoke. But now that he'd put down his magazine and Adam could see his face more clearly, not only was he pretty but he was wearing makeup. Definitely on his eyes but maybe lip gloss too. Adam still wasn't sure telling him he thought he was pretty was a good idea but he thought maybe the town might not be as big of a problem as he'd originally thought.

"Here it is," they guy said, handing Adam a key as he pushed the blond hair hanging in his face behind his ear. "It's four people for the whole summer right?"

"Yeah, we're here all summer," Adam said, not even bothering to hide the scorn in his voice, as he took to the key.

"It could be worse, you could be stuck spending the first couple weeks of your summer working here, not just vacationing."

Adam gave him a small smile. "Okay, that's true. I, umm, I better get back. My family's waiting in the car."

"Oh yeah, sorry," the guy said returning Adam's smile. "Maybe I'll see you around. I'm Tommy, by the way."

"Maybe. I'm Adam," he offered as he pushed the door open, a smile on his face as he made his way back to the car.

Adam stared out at the water, watching the sun set in the distance. He'd never admit it to his parents but it was pretty here. Still boring, but pretty. He'd managed to convince his parents to let him stay behind while they went to check out the small town down the road. Between Adam and Neil they'd talked their parents into the idea that they should be allowed to stay behind on this family outing and get to know the camp ground better. See what it had to offer if they were going to spend the next two and half months in it.

As soon as the car had pulled away Neil grabbed his swimsuit and headed for the pool by the main building. Adam had considered joining him but in the end all the old insecurities won out and he'd decided against the risk of running into Tommy again, only this time in a swimsuit. He may have lost weight and the acne had cleared up but years of teasing and bullying stick with you and he wasn't ready to face the cute guy he just met that exposed yet. So, instead he'd opted for a walk along the beach where was now sitting, back in front of their cabin, watching the sun sink over the water.

He wondered if he'd actually see Tommy again. If Tommy would seek him out at all over the summer. He'd said he's see him around but that could just be him being polite. Of course, he could always go to him; he'd basically said he was working in the main building for the next few weeks. He wouldn't do that though. He wouldn't risk the rejection if Tommy had just been being polite. It wasn't even about his quickly developing crush, he'd be perfectly happy with just having a friend this summer. After all, it wasn't like he knew if Tommy was gay, or interested in him if he was. It wasn't even like he had any real experience dating. He'd only come out to his family and friends a few months ago and then his parents sprang this vacation on him. But just having a friend here might make the whole trip more tolerable, and if it was a cute boy who was he to argue.

"Mind if I join you?"

Adam jumped at the sound of the voice behind him. He hadn't even heard anyone approach. He hadn't realized how lost he was in his own thoughts. He smiled when he saw Tommy standing behind him. Adam moved over slightly trying to make more room on the very small batch of grass he'd found at the edge of the sand. "Yeah, sure."

"Sorry, man," Tommy said, sinking into the space beside him. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"No problem," Adam responded. "I should really pay more attention to what's going on around me."

"What were you thinking about?"

Adam's eyes widened. He certainly couldn't tell Tommy that he was thinking about how hot he found him. He didn't want to end the friendship before it started, so he scrambled to come up with a believable lie. "About how boring this summer is going to be with no internet, or phone, in some backwoods town with nothing to do."

Tommy nodded and was quiet for a few minutes. Adam started to wonder if he'd offended him, Tommy obviously spent a lot of time here, possibly lived out here and he'd just insulted it all. "Hey, I'm sorry I didn't mean—"

"It's okay. I can't do much about the phone, no cell service out here," Tommy interrupted. "There are a few places with internet connections if you know where to look though, do you have your laptop with you?"

"Yeah, in the cabin."

"There's also a few fun things to do here in the summer," Tommy continued. "Not a lot but a few. If you want, I get out of work tomorrow at three, meet me with your laptop and I can show you where you can get online. And I can fill you in on some of the less boring things to do around here."

Adam's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He hated that he would automatically not trust Tommy, who seemed very sincere, but he'd been burned too many times by people wanting to just taunt him. "Why?"

"Why what? Be nice to you?" Tommy asked, then at Adam's small nod he continued. "Because I like you. Because you seem like a nice guy, I don't want to see your summer suck. I'm also stuck here Until September just like you are and trust me there aren't a lot of kids are age. We might as well hang out together. Unless you don't want to?"

Adam's eyes widened again. He knew Tommy only meant he liked him as a friend but it was better than nothing or dislike. And it would give him someone to hang out with this summer other than Neil who was going to annoy him fast anyway. "No, I want to. I'm sorry you've been nothing but nice to me."

"Adam!" Adam scowled at the sound of his brother's voice. Both he and Tommy turned to see Neil running in their direction. "Mom wants to know when you're coming in. Hi!"

"Hey," Tommy responded, then turned back to Adam. "Sorry, I'll let you get back to your family."

"No it's, Neil tell Mom—"

"It's okay, I need to get home anyway," Tommy offered standing up and brushing the sand off of his jeans. "We still on for tomorrow though?"

Adam pulled himself up as well. "Yeah, sure. Three o'clock, right?"

"Yeah, at the main building," Tommy agreed, and started walking toward the cabins on the other side of the beach. "See you then!"

"Bye!" Adam said, watching him leave. When he was out of hearing range he turned toward his brother. "Thanks a lot."

"What? Who was he anyway?"

"Tommy. He works here," Adam said as they walked together toward the cabin. "I met him this afternoon."

"So, is tomorrow like a date?"

Adam blushed and hoped Neil couldn't see it in the dark, he'd never let him live it down. "No, I mean, I don't even know if he's…just no okay."

"Whatever," Neil shrugged. "You like him though?"

"Just drop it, Neil, please," Adam sighed as he pushed open the cabin door.

"Fine, not like I care anyway," Neil agreed. "Now, I'm going to bed before Mom and Dad come up with any other family bonding activities for tonight."

Adam knew Neil was right, feign tiredness and get to bed or his parents wouldn't want to play board games or something so he quickly went into the living room and told his parents good night and headed to his room. He really wished Neil hadn't asked if tomorrow as a date. He hadn't even considered that idea until he'd mentioned it. Now he was going to be stuck worrying about it all night. His summer had just gotten so much more interesting.


End file.
